Family and Student Weekly News
January 30, 2019
Dear Brooklyn Collaborative Families,
Tuesday, 1/29, was our ALL CREW day for our students.
Students continued to strengthen their social and emotional skills by engaging in initiatives that promote positive relationships and connections with their crew members and leaders. All of our crews had experiences that took them outside of the building.
Our Lower Grade Crews participated in our annual ice skating trip to Le Frak Ice Rink at Prospect Park.
Our UG Crews 9th through 11th participated in our annual College Campus Tours that are a vital part of our college-bound experience at Brooklyn Collaborative. Students visited a diversity of local and out of state as well as public and private college and university campuses and an Historically Black College and University (HBCU) including Queens College, Fashion Institute of Technology (FIT), Manhattanville College, Columbia University, Sarah Lawrence College, Marist College, LaFayette University, Adelphi University, Cornell College, and Howard University. Students had an opportunity to experience their learning and social environments: toured the campus, saw the dorm, and sampled the food. All important experiences as our students began the process of making informed decisions about their post-secondary paths.
Our deep appreciation to our wonderful college counselor Karlette for arranging these incredible trips!
Our heartfelt thanks to our awesome crew leaders for making ALL CREW DAY a day of memorable crew experiences whether on a college campus or on the ice rink.
An incredible day was had by staff and students alike! Major kudos to our students for representing Brooklyn Collaborative and themselves in the most positive and fun-filled ways! We are crew, not passengers!
In partnership,
Scill, Amanda, Imani (BCS School Leaders)
Tracey (BCS Parent Coordinator)
UPCOMING DATES
MARK YOUR CALENDARS
- Tuesday Mastery Support -3:15 - 4:00 p.m. (Begins again on Tuesday, 2/12)
- 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: https://www.bcs448.org/2019/01/28/1-22-25-highlights-of-the-week/ 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
BCS/ BNS PAC Meetings this Week: Thursday, 1/31 @ 6:30 p.m. or Friday, 2/1 @ 9:15 a.m.
(From Tish, BCS SLT and PAC member)
- We invite YOU to meet with BCS and BNS Parent Action Coalition (PAC) to better understand the state's policy, organize and speak out.
- The BCS-BNS PAC, is a group of parents and educators focused on protecting public education and understanding policy for the past 7+ years.
- Right now, our group is too small for the work we need to do! BCS Community representation, understanding, sharing and organizing is needed!
DUPLICATE MEETINGS THIS WEEK:
- Thurs. 1/31 @ 6:30 pm in the BCS Cafeteria
- Fri. 2/1 @ 9:15 am in the BCS Cafeteria (or immediately following the mandated Parent Info Meeting with our Superintendent's office)
CAN YOU JOIN US?
- PLEASE RSVP so we can get a sense of who can come! Email Tish at tcdoggett@aol.com or call on her cell at 917-817-5452.
- EVERYONE is welcome, even if you don't RSVP.
Friday, February 1st - Family Breakfast to Answer Question about Brooklyn Collaborative's Designation as CSI School
- WHAT: Meeting with Brooklyn Collaborative school leaders to answer any questions that you might have about the New York State Education Department (NYSED) recently designating Brooklyn Collaborative as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI) school. There will also be a representative from our Superintendent’s Office available to answer your questions. Our Superintendent Kathy Rehfield-Pelles and her team have been extremely supportive of our school over many years, and we appreciate their allyship.
- WHY: We want to make sure that you have basic information about the state designation and that you hear directly from us as school leaders about our action steps and the other measures of success we monitor at Brooklyn Collaborative.
- WHEN: February 1
- TIME: 8:15 a.m.-9:00 a.m.
- WHERE: Room 411.
Join Us for Mid-Winter Gala & Auction: Saturday, February 9th from 7-10 p.m.
- Mark your calendars and save the date for our Mid-Winter Gala and Auction on Saturday, February 9th from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. at Luso-American Cultural Center at 619 Henry Street.
- Mid-Winter Gala and Auction is the BCS PTA's most important fund-raiser of the year.
- We need your support to make this event a success! Buy tickets, talk up the event to your friends, and donate and bid on auction items.
- This will be a fun and entertaining evening for adults. There will be DJ/dancing, live musical performances from our super talented teacher John Schmitt, an open bar, and mouth-watering eats from Sahadi's and Gina's Cultural Catering, to highlight a few culinary delights!
- Buy your tickets at this link: https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/4045109?mc_cid=6e3a9ddaf5&mc_eid=c9b611756d
- Go to this link to bid: https://www.32auctions.com/bcsptagala2019?mc_cid=6e3a9ddaf5&mc_eid=c9b611756d
Safety Meeting: Families Invited to Speak with our School Safety and BCS & BNS Administration - Tuesday, February 26th
- WHAT: We are required to hold a safety meeting every year for families to speak with School Safety and the administration of both schools on our campus (BNS + BCS) about any topics of concern related to school/building safety. We welcome your thoughts!
- WHEN: : Tuesday, February 26th
- TIME:: 1:40pm
- LOCATION: BCS/BNS Auditorium
We Need You: Host Our Danish Visitors on April 8h -10th
- On Wednesday, April 8th through Friday, April 10th, we need your support in hosting visitors from Odense, Denmark.
- This will be the seventh year that we are hosting students and teachers from Tornjberg Gymnasium (TG), a high school located in Odense, Denmark.
- We need homes for 25 students (18 girls and 7 boys). Ideally, we would like to keep students in pairs (i.e. two students of the same gender in each home); students are generally between the ages of 17 -19 years old.
- Host families will see to it that all meals are provided: April 8th (dinner), April 9th (breakfast, lunch, and dinner), and April 10th (breakfast and lunch), when they depart.
- Our relationship with TG began as a music exchange spearheaded by music teacher Christine.
- If you are interested in hosting our Danish visitors, please contact Stephen at Stephen@bcs448.org
SPORTS CENTER
Final Home Games: Come Out and Cheer on Our Varsity Boys & Girls Basketball Teams!
- Come and show your support for our Varsity Girls and Boys Basketball Teams!
- Join us for their final home games of the season.
- Cheer on the Coach Brandi and the Varsity Boys Basketball Team today, Wednesday, January 30th when they take on Summit Charter Academy School.
- Cheer on the Coach Nikkie and the Varsity Girls Basketball Team this Thursday, January 31st when they take on Boerum Hill School and Digital Tech.
- Games kick off at 4:30 p.m.
- Let's pack our bleachers, show your BCS school spirit, ad cheer our teams to victory!
- Cheer on our teams with the same passion and enthusiasm as our Brooklyn Collaborative Cheerleading Team!
- If you have a BCS shirt, please wear it to the games and show your school pride!
- For home games at BCS, please know that all students need to show their school ID card for entry into all basketball games.
- If you need a replacement ID card, you can see Chloe during crew (Monday--Thursday only) in Rm 507.
- GO BCS WOLVES!!!!!
STUDENT CLUBS
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. (Begins again on February 12th)
- 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!
Rosetta Stone: Study a New Language
- WHAT: Study a new language. Enrich yourself through independent language study!
- WHO: Open to all BCS students (Grades 6-12) for enrichment and for ELL students learning English. All accounts from previous years are still active, and you DO NOT need to email Chloe for a new login.
- HOW: To sign up: Please email chloe@bcs448.org from your BCS email address with the language you want to study. Chloe will send you an email from Rosetta Stone with your log in and password. All study is done online - you need a BCS email address, Internet connection, a computer with speakers, and headphones to take the course independently.
- WHY: Brooklyn Collaborative emphasizes cross-cultural competence for success in the 21st century and encourages all community members to strive to be multilingual. BCS is committed to developing students and staff who are kind, openminded, persistent, responsible, and courageous. At BCS, students learn to apply their intellect and effort to benefit themselves and their community.
- Languages Offered through Rosetta Stone: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), Dutch, English (UK)
- English (US), Persian (Farsi), French, German, Greek, Hebrew, Hindi, Irish, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Latin, Polish, Portuguese (Brazil), Russian, Spanish (Latin American), Spanish (Spain), Swedish, Filipino (Tagalog), Turkish, Vietnamese
FAMILY SPOTLIGHT & SHOUT OUTS
BCS Parent Pens Article in Daily News
- BCS parent, BCS/BNS PAC, and SLT member Tish speaks out about the New York State Education Department (NYSED) designating Brooklyn Collaborative as a Comprehensive Support and Improvement (CSI).
- Tish writes that the new state list is painfully at odds with the reality of the progressive practices and history of supporting the whole child at Brooklyn Collaborative..
- Tish urges the city to invite the state’s education commissioner, MaryEllen Elia, and the Board of Regents, to visit Brooklyn Collaborative to see if their "judgments pass the smell test".
- Check out the article that Tish co-wrote with Central Park East One (CPE1) parent Kaliris Salas-Ramirez
- https://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/ny-oped-our-schools-are-failing-really-20190124-story.html
- Our deepest appreciation and heartfelt gratitude to Tish for her passionate advocacy and activism par excellence!
FAMILY CORNER: RESOURCES, EVENTS, & OPPORTUNITIES
[D15 Coalition] CEJ Culturally Responsive Curriculum Forum
- WHAT: Leaders from New York Communities for Change and New York Coalition for Educational Justice are holding a forum on Culturally Responsive Education. Parents from NYCC and CEJ have successfully organized for anti-bias trainings for over 140,000 DOE employees and ongoing supports for districts and schools in Culturally Responsive Education. This forum is an opportunity to engage the Brooklyn community on and continue to find ways we can build power together and push the Department of Education and City Hall to do what is right by NYC students.
- WHEN: Wednesday January 23rd
- TIME:5.30 p.m.
- WHERE: Borough Hall
- RSVP to nyccej@gmail.com
- Simultaneous Spanish interpretation and refreshments will be available
[D15 Coalition] Support CEC15's "Pause" on Charters
- WHAT: The District 15 Community Education Council (CEC15) has drafted an important and timely resolution opposing any increase to the number of Charter schools in in New York City or New York State. A final public vote on the draft resolution will be held.
- BACKGROUND/CONTEXT: D15 Parents for Middle School Equity strongly supports CEC15’s resolution which proposes a 5-year moratorium on any new Charters in New York City and the completion of a system-wide impact evaluation of Charters on our public schools. New York City already houses 71% of the Charter schools in NYS. No further Charter growth should be approved without an evaluation of the impact of Charter schools on our traditional public schools - those run with public oversight. This resolution is not anti-Charter; it is simply a pause on any increase in Charters to ensure that traditional and Charter schools are working together and making progress for all our children.
- WHEN: Tuesday, January 29, 2019
- TIME: 6:30 pm
- WHERE: PS 131; 4305 Fort Hamilton Parkway
- Please share information on this meeting and this resolution with your community. See attachment.
Envisioning Integration: The Future of NYC Public Schools
- WHAT: Panel and discussion hosted by IDEA (Inclusion, Diversity, and Equity for All) Committee. Panelists include Niclole Lanzillotto, Principal of The Boreum Hill School for International Studies; Nancy Krent, Attorney specializing in Education Law and Policy; andrew McClintock, NYC DOE; Sayde L. Campoamor NYC DOE
- WHEN: Monday, February 4th
- TIME: 600 - 8:00 p.m.
- WHERE: PS 29 Auditorium
- RSVP: https//bit.ly/2T2NHmS
- Childcare provided for PS 29 students
How To File Your 2019 Taxes For Free In NYC
- Find out if you qualify to file your taxes for free, and how.
- https://patch.com/new-york/windsorterrace/s/gltpp/how-to-file-your-2019-taxes-for-free-in-nyc
LIBRARY CORNER
BCS/BNS Library and BCS Hosts Drag Queen Story Hour
- On Thursday, 1/24, Brooklyn Collaborative students and staff welcomed Drag Queen Story Hour in our library! DQSH captures the imagination and play of the gender fluidity of childhood and gives kids glamorous, positive, and unabashedly queer role models.
- Thank you to librarians Amanda C. and Susan for bringing this opportunity to Brooklyn Collaborative and to the BCS GSA BLM Collective for their support.
- Drag Queen Story Hour was amazing!
AFTER SCHOOL OPPORTUNITIES
YWCA @ BCS After School Program
- This week the YWCA After-School hosted a jewelry making class again. Last week was such a success and back by popular demand, our after school staff facilitated another workshop. The students made bracelets and necklaces with various jewels and stones.
- Chef Kia, teaches students how to make delicious cupcakes on their own. The previous week the students made cupcakes with the help of staff but this week they were challenged to make them on their very own.
- Our students also made Mangu, a popular dish in the Dominican Republic. Students learned how to combine wonderful Latin flavors to create this quick and easy dish.
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 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