Week of 10/3/22
.... It's a GREAT place to be!
Birmingham Covington Schools (BCS)
Website: https://www.birmingham.k12.mi.us/bcs
Location: 1525 Covington Rd, Bloomfield Hills, MI 48301, USA
Phone: 248-203-4444
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Birmingham-Covington-School-257853467700898/
Twitter: @bcs_cobras
10/3/22 - Week's Events
*denotes more information provided below
Tue. 10/4 - Wed. 10/5 - District-Observed Holiday, Yom Kippur. We honor and celebrate with all families and staff observing Yom Kippur.
Monday, 10/3
Tuesday, 10/4
Wednesday, 10/5
- Count Day*
Thursday, 10/6
- PTA Meeting 1:15 p.m.
Friday, 10/7
Upcoming Dates:
Greetings BCS Families!
It is a long one - our apologies in advance. :-)
3/4 Coney Night Bingo Reflection
First, we want to thank our fantastic 3/4 families who attended Coney Night Bingo last Thursday. It was uplifting for us to see families across the district connecting and celebrating alongside their children who were just having the time of their lives. Opportunities like this are just one of the reasons we love BCS so much. We feel incredibly fortunate at BCS to have the unique opportunity to bring families together from across the district, working hand-in-hand, to uplift our unified school mission in support of the wonderful children we all love. It was a moment of great pride for us. A special thank you to our wonderful PTA who made the event happen- we could not have offered this without all of your planning and support!
BCS i-Ready Updates
As of Friday, 9/30, our district's assessment window for our i-Ready diagnostic assessment has ended and students should have completed their literacy and math assessments. As a reminder, the i-Ready assessment platform replaces NWEA used in previous years, and we are incredibly excited about the potential of this powerful new learning tool. Initial feedback across the board, even from the students themselves, has been overwhelmingly positive. On Thursday 9/29, our faculty engaged in Professional Learning in the afternoon to learn more about the features of the i-Ready platform and how we will use it to help accelerate our students' learning in a manner that is differentiated and data-informed.
We encourage families to attend the parent i-Ready informational sessions if you would like additional information about how to use the i-Ready parent report to best support your student's learning.
i-Ready District Informational Meetings for Parents
Oct. 11 & Oct. 13 at 6:30 p.m., Oct. 25 & Oct. 27 at 6:00 p.m.
The district will be hosting four i-Ready Informational Meetings for parents and families. These meetings occur after the beginning of the year assessment window has closed and will support the reading and understanding of the i-Ready parent report. Visit this website https://rb.gy/f7x65n to register for any of the events below.
• Tuesday, October 11 from 6:30-7:30 pm (in-person session for grades K-5)
• Thursday, October 13 from 6:30-7:30 pm (in-person session for grades 6-8)
• Tuesday, October 25 from 6-7 pm (virtual session for grades 6-8)
• Thursday, October 27 from 6-7 pm (virtual session for grades K-5)
Below you will find an overview of i-Ready with links to resources you can start using to help support our school's implementation of the i-Ready program:
What is i-Ready?
i-Ready is an online program that will help us determine your child’s strengths and areas for growth, personalize their learning, and monitor their progress throughout the school year. i-Ready allows us to meet your child where they are and provides us with data to inform instruction.
The i-Ready Diagnostic is an adaptive assessment that adjusts its questions based on student responses. Each item a student receives is based on their answer to the previous question. For example, a series of correct answers will result in slightly more challenging questions, while a series of incorrect answers will yield slightly easier ones. The purpose of this is not to give your child a score or grade but to determine how to best support their learning.
i-Ready Instruction provides students with lessons based on their individual strengths and areas for growth. These lessons are interactive and offer strategic supports to keep your child engaged as they learn.
What can I do to help?
To support your child’s learning with online lessons, you can:
· Discuss your child’s progress on their i-Ready lessons.
· Celebrate your child’s learning and growth.
· If your child’s teacher encourages them to use i-Ready lessons at home, reference these Fridge Tips to provide support.
Thank you for your continued support and for being a partner in your child’s learning! I look forward to sharing i-Ready information with you throughout the year. You can also learn more about i-Ready by visiting i-ReadyCentral.com/FamilyCenter.
Wishing everyone a wonderful weekend!
Yours in BCS solidarity,
Dr. Hakim & Mr. Hill
All School News
Community Read Discussion Questions for Home
Beginning the week of 9/12, students will begin a school-wide community read. The book chosen for the 22-23 school year is The Boy at the Back of the Class. This book is about how one ordinary nine-year-old child and three classmates that are full of empathy and curiosity become friends with the new boy in their class. For Ahmet, a boy that comes to their school as a refugee from Syria this means everything.
This week, students read Chapters 16-20 in our community read.
This week’s home discussion topic:
This week, think about what it means to stand up for what you believe in, even if it's risky.
Outside learning space in progress!
National Hispanic Heritage Month (9/15-10/15)
Also know BPS sponsors our Latino Family Network (LAFAN) Birmingham Public which meets next Monday, Sept. 26, 7:00 p.m. in the Education and Administration Center, Sycamore Room
This is LAFAN's first meeting of the year. Everyone is welcome to attend, whether you have Latino Heritage, just want to learn more about the culture or make new connections. LAFAN mission is to connect Hispanic/Latino families within our district, to provide educational excellence and equity to our students and to celebrate family traditions and values. All are welcome to join!
BCS Directory Deadline is Friday, September 30th
DIRECTORY DEADLINE- This FRIDAY, September 30th!!
We hope everyone is off to a fantastic school year! If you haven’t already, it is time to log in and update your account information and directory publish preferences for the 2022-2023 school year. We are hoping for 100% participation in the directory and YOU can choose which fields are to be displayed.
This needs to be done every year to make sure we have the information you wish to share along with your child's current teacher.
Once you have updated your information, you can visit the PTA store in Membership Toolkit to order a printed copy of the directory, make donations, and pay classroom dues.
https://bcspta.membershiptoolkit.com
Here's what you need to do:
- Go to Directory
- If this does not bring you straight to your account, you will need to click on the Register/Login button and Login using the same email and password previously created. If you have forgotten your password, you can click "I forgot my password" to reset.
- Click on the Parent/Family and Student Information form and update as needed.
- Complete the Directory/Publish Preferences.
- Once these forms are complete, you will be presented with forms for Membership, etc. THANK YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!
* If you have not already, download the Membership Toolkit App! It is a great way to have the BCS Directory always with you.
Questions? - Please don't hesitate to contact Jenny Wheeler at jennybwheeler@gmail.com
Count Day is October 5th
Become a Student Ambassador
BCS Ambassadors play an important role in welcoming visitors to our school and introducing them to all BCS has to offer. Student Ambassadors go through mandatory training sessions during their lunch periods, become an "expert" at what goes on at his/her grade level, and conduct tours during the BCS Open House on Sunday, December 4th and during the school year.
We are now accepting applications to become a student ambassador for the 2022-23 school year. Applications are due October 7, 2022.
PTA Update
Upcoming Events and Reminders:
1. Please update your directory by the end of day. We are hoping to have all families represented in this year's directory. Update your family information and order your printed directory here.
2. Our next PTA meeting will be October 6th, at 1:15pm. This meeting will be held in person with an option to zoom in. Courtney Bassett will be presenting on Choice Hours. See the PTA website for an agenda with a zoom link.
3. Join the Seaholm and Groves PTA as they welcome the six Birmingham School Board Candidates on October 11th at 7pm in the Seaholm Auditorium. Learn about all six BPS Board of Education candidates that are running for the two open spots on this November's ballot. Families from all BPS schools are invited to attend.
3. Join us on October 21st at 9 am via Zoom for your first BLAST planning session. Interested in joining the planning committee, please email us at bcsptsabcs@gmail.com.
1:1 Laptop Technology Update
We are thrilled to announce that all students will have computer devices at BCS as our district officially becomes a 1:1 district!
For 3-4 students, students will receive Google Chromebooks as they have the past few years. Chromebooks will be distributed to incoming third graders during the first or second week of school.
All 5-8 students will receive a laptop during the first week of school. For all you need to know about 5-8 laptops, please review the linked 5-8 BCS 1:1 Laptop Information & Forms
Parents must review, print, and sign the linked agreement before receiving a laptop.
Insurance for your device can be purchased through eFunds.
For technology support, students should write an e-mail directly to support@birmingham.k12.mi.us. Sending a message to this address will automatically create a ticket for students.
5th Grade Physical Education Run!
Middle & Elementary School Students Attending High School Football Games
For the safety and enjoyment of all spectators, the following guidelines for all BPS middle and elementary school students in attendance at Groves or Seaholm home varsity football games must be followed:
- Students must be accompanied by an adult/guardian.
- Students must remain under the supervision of that guardian while at the stadium.
- Students must remain seated with their parent/guardian in the bleachers.
- Middle school students must also have their IDs at all times while in attendance at the stadium.
- Standing, loitering or horseplay under and/or around the bleachers or any other area is prohibited.
Again, our goal is to make sure that that we create a safe environment for all students and families. Thank you very much for your support and cooperation.
Third Annual Strides for SOS Run/Walk
The Strides for SOS 5K and 1 Mile Run/Walk is happening October 9th! It's the biggest SOS fundraiser of the year and a fun event for your whole family. Register by October 2nd to be guaranteed a race shirt. You can also help support SOS through a Family Sponsorship. Get all the details and register today: Strides for SOS Registration & Details
SOS assists families in the BPS Community with financial needs and volunteer services. Your participation in Strides for SOS will help ensure that SOS can continue supporting families throughout the year.
Birmingham Education Foundation - Welcome Back to School
Each year, the BEF typically grants upwards of $100,000 towards projects that enrich and enhance education for all BPS students. If every family in our district gave just $35, we would start the year with more than $175,000 to grant, allowing teachers to provide innovative experiences and opportunities that go above and beyond for our kids. Please visit https://www.supportbef.org/make-a-gift.html and make your donation today.
Friends - October Meeting Information
Get a Baldwin Public Library Card!
All BPS K-12 students and staff are eligible for a Baldwin Library card! Use it to check out print books and access most online databases. For example, our Community Read, “The Boy at the Back of the Class” is available as an audiobook on Hoopla. Plus, curbside pickup is available! Go to https://www.baldwinlib.org/get-library-card/ for details, or watch this video for detailed instructions on how to sign up.
No Cell Phones/Smart Watches During School Day
Students will have access to their school-issued 1:1 device- either a Chromebook or Dell Laptop. This is the appropriate tool for all classroom related technology.
We believe this to be the safest and most productive approach we can use to keep students safe and keep them focused on their instructional and educational goals.
Early Dismissal Procedures
Please review these procedures to help keep your students and school safe.
Parents
- Buzz the front door
- Be prepared to show identification if asked
- Sign student out on the sign in/out sheet
Students
- Will be released after the office staff calls the teacher
- Student will be sent to the office
- Student will be released to the parent through the vestibule door
STUDENT IS NOT ALLOWED TO LEAVE CLASS UNTIL PARENT IS HERE. STUDENTS MUST BE SIGNED OUT IN THE OFFICE. STUDENTS CANNOT EXIT THROUGH ANY OTHER DOOR.
No Early Dismissal after 3:00 p.m
Student Medication
If the BCS Clinic needs to house medication for your student, please drop it off in the Front Office. Be sure you have an updated Permission to Administer form and Action Plan. These forms need to have a physician's signature. Contact Terri Grantling at tgrantling@birmingham.k12.mi.us with any questions.
Other Helpful Resource Links...
BCS Connect with Us!
All Students, Parents, Staff Can Report Safety Threats Using OK2Say
Not all heroes wear a cape and tights. A real hero speaks up for what's right. Be a real hero. If you see or hear something that threatens student or school safety, submit a confidential tip to OK2SAY.
Safety & Security - School Resource Officer, Kelly McGraw
BCS works in partnership with the Bloomfield Township Police Department given our location in Bloomfield Hills. For the 2022-2023 school year, BCS has been assigned Officer Kelly McGraw, as our School Resource Officer. Her contact information is included for your reference: Office Phone: (248) 433-7772. E-mail: kmcgraw@bloomfieldtwp.org.
BPS & BCS Calendar for 2022-2023 School Year
On our BCS website, you will find the linked BCS 22-23 School Calendar organized by month. There are links for importing this calendar to your devices. If you notice an event missing or not included, please e-mail Joni Saygan, our building secretary, at JSaygan@birmingham.k12.mi.us.
Parent & Student Schoology Reference Page
Check out the Student Schoology Reference page! This document will provide students and parents with instructions on setting up their Schoology account, navigating Schoology, and performing everyday tasks in courses. This reference sheet may provide helpful resources for you to use to help your students become proficient with Schoology.
Parent/Guardian Schoology Access (this is separate from PowerSchool access which is the site parents should continue to use to check student grades). Schoology is where assignments are housed. Linked are directions to create your parent account:
Emotional Health & Wellness Resources
Counseling Corner
We are here to help support your child academically, socially and emotionally during this time. If you would like to request a counseling appointment for your son or daughter, just email his or her counselor using the contact information below. Your counselor will then respond in order to set up an appointment.
Please keep us updated if we can be of any help at this time.
Your BCS Counselors,
Karen Kohler - Last Names A-K (kkohler@birmingham.k12.mi.us) and
Jenny Wagner - Last Names L-Z (jwagner2@birmingham.k12.mi.us)